Doctor Who: Peter Davison says three companions is too many

Former Doctor Who star Peter Davison believes three companions is too many. His Doctor had three companions when he started in the role, much like Jodie Whittaker’s incumbent Time Lord, but Davison soon noticed the need to whittle them down.

Sarah Sutton’s Nyssa, Janet Fielding’s Tegan and Matthew Waterhouse’s Adric travelled with Davison’s Doctor when he first took over in the TARDIS from Tom Baker.

Digital Spy got an early look at a documentary that comes with a glossy new box set of Davison’s Doctor Who season 19. And, while watching it, they witnessed the actor saying this:

“I think that three companions is too many. One of them had to go. I think that John [Nathan-Turner, producer] knew this but he wanted to get rid of Sarah, which I really was against, because Nyssa was the only one being supportive of the Doctor. She was the one who really wanted to be there. Janet[‘s character] wanted to get back to Heathrow, Adric wanted to get back to E-Space and so Sarah was my only ally on board.”

Ultimately, Adric ended up getting killed off in the show. In the same documentary, Davison reflected on that:

“On reflection, I think, probably, I didn’t realise how many fans would be badly affected by the loss of Adric in a tragic way. So maybe it was not a good idea.”